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Well, to say I’ve been really into the holiday spirit this year is an understatement – definitely one for the books. But how on earth is Christmas already over and 2017 just a few days away?!

I’ve been fortunate to spend some much needed quality time in NYC with my dads side of the fam this year, and it’s totally been a walk down memory lane – I haven’t seen them in over 10 years! Talk about way overdue. So this year I’m feeling especially grateful, thankful and #blessed. Here’s to you little baby Jesus for bringing us all back together.

I’m also super excited because one of my HGTV assignments is live and I’m so thrilled to share it with y’all! This summer was a bit cray with photoshoots left and right and this New Years Eve celebration was no exception. With some help from my amazing friends (who also dubbed as models), we were able to pull this off, braving the Texas heat in our faux furs. Check out the article here.

For those of you unaware of the hours of work that go into these photoshoots, I wanted to add some behind the scenes photos and insight. Although we put this together rather quick, due to time constraints, most of these shoots take weeks of prep and revising on set to make sure every detail is captured. I’ll be posting about the other shoots once they go live so you can see all the behind the scenes work that goes into styling, shooting and editing these photoshoots! For now, take a peak from the production point of view of this NYE bash!

The present table had all sorts of goodies on it – most of which were actually just nicely wrapped empty boxes! Since this shoot was all about combining a NYE bash with a re-gifted Christmas, we really wanted to feature the presents just like you would see them under the tree. But instead of a tree, I created this candy cane table decor with some peppermint candies and a styrofoam cone. Super simple and adds a fun little touch to the table!

We definitely had some laughs on set. Ain’t no party without that holiday cheer (and lots of bubbly).

The girls dressed in their most NYE inspired attire to set the mood. Sparkles and sequins is the go-to! Usually we opt for water to fill our coupes, but not this time – champs it is. You’ll notice that labels can’t be shown, since we are not advertising anything here, other than party ideas and inspiration. Bottoms up!

For each scene we usually take 25+ photos from different angles and switch out props accordingly. The focus for this assignment was all about gifts that you can re-gift to someone who might find it more useful, so we really wanted to capture the exchange and engagement between guests.

The “photobooth” was a streamer backdrop which we used for many parts of the shoot. It is also not very wide and since I am much taller than Ashley, I had to bend down in order to fit within the frame (which also doubled as my workout for the day).

There are so many details that go into these shoots, and call me crazy, but I find it to be so fun finding solutions to issues that might pop up! More to come but until then, cheers and Happy New Year!

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AH! That feeling of Christmas being right around the corner and you’re still scrambling to find the perfect gift for your BFF4L or special little lady. We’ve all been there. Have no fear though, I have a quick and painless DIY that will have bae smitten by your handywork and it will mean so much more than a last minute visa gift card. Trust.

Let me preface by confirming the 90’s are truly back. Remember those geode rocks you used to collect? They’ve been popping up everywhere BUT with a major price tag :/ I’ve seen them being used in many ways – geode necklaces, bracelets, coasters and my favorite, jewelry boxes! I’ve seen these boxes range from $30 to $500+. Bananas. So I decided to be crafty (of course) and make my own. Here’s what you need:

+ geode rock of choice (make sure it has a somewhat flat surface on the bottom)

+ wood craft box

+ e6000 super glue

+ spray paint of choice

+ gloss finishing spray (optional)

Spray paint the wooden box with at least 2 coats of spray paint and let dry for an hour. Follow up with a coat of glossy finishing spray.

Glue the geode onto the wooden box with a generous amount of e6000. Let dry.Ta-da! Super easy DIY that only takes a couple of hours and under $30! It’s a win-win! Merry Christmas friends :)

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Friends, quit jumping to conclusions, this is not a baby announcement! I just had to find a clever way to get you reading – it’s been a while.

In fact, when I planned this fruity & floral baby shower for one of my best gal pals, Ali, she was still preggers with her baby g. Now, little Margaret is here, adorable and healthy as ever. Amen.

I had so much fun helping Ali celebrate her first with a boat full of friends, flower crowns and some pretty entertaining baby shower games. I’m sure you could hear us laughing from the other side of the lake. Honestly, life just doesn’t get much better. Hop on board for a party overload!Momma to be and me! Isn’t she the cutest?!
What really sealed the fun factor was that we had the party on a boat! Thanks to baby daddy Aric for being our El Capitan!Flower crowns made fresh from Babe Blooms, greeted everyone when they hopped on board. There was no guessing what gender baby was with plenty of pinks, purples and all things girly. The theme was “Fruity & Floral,” and I just think those two go hand in hand, especially on a hot summer day in Austin, Texas.Baby [girl] daddy!How great is this spread?! But everything you need for a great party?: mimosas and cake. Speaking of cake, it’s no surprise I love making cakes (check out some of my previous ones here and here). But it’s pretty rare to find a friend that enjoys making them too! My girl Meggie made this incredibly delish and beautiful cake for the party. No question, we all had seconds.Naturally, to keep the theme alive, I ordered some cookies to add an additional sugar rush to the table. These fruity sugar cookies, made by a friend at Sugar Brookies, were as tasty as they were cute!

…But wait, there’s more!

It ALSO just so happened to be Ali’s 30th birthday! So we added in a little 30th birthday touch to make her feel extra special!Photo backdrop courtesy of the 360 bridge on Lake Austin. What a perfect day with the perfect crew!Welcome to the world baby Margaret! We love you! <3

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I’m all about a themed party, so when one of my bests 30th birthday came around, she decided a Malibu Barbie boat party on the lake was how we were going to get down. And I couldn’t agree with her more since Meggie’s practically a little surfer babe by trade.

I took to the WWW to find some cake inspiration for the bday girl and stumbled on a pic of B crusin’ in a pink speedboat – YAS. Check out the process below!

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One of my greatest accomplishments was the purchase of my first home back in 2013. I remember looking at quite a few properties and feeling discouraged because most were either out of my price range or had multiple offers that I just couldn’t compete with. I didn’t even see my place listed on MLS, but I happened to stumble upon it when I was viewing another unit across the street with my realtor. Once we walked in, I just about gasped – from the layout and great energy, to the tongue and groove ceilings, it was just utterly perfect. That was the day I realized it’s true – when you know, you know. So I closed the deal and officially became a homeowner!

Now three years and countless trips to Home Depot later, I finally feel like I put my stamp on this little slice of paradise. I’ve been a busy bee painting, reupholstering and everything in between over the years and have documented some of it along the way, but I wanted to formally invite you to come check out my home sweet home. Come on in! Check out the mirror wall installation process I did here. The area looked so much different (ahem smaller) before.The area between the cabinets and ceiling in the kitchen is always so drab, so after much headache (and algebra) I was able to measure out a grey square pattern for the perfect fix.